ONE of Bolton's most horrific disasters is to be the subject of a £25,000 school project.

Westhoughton High School has been awarded a grant to carry out a project on the Pretoria Pit Disaster, which claimed the lives of 340 men and boys.

An explosion rocked the pit in Westhoughton on December 21, 1910. Most families in the town lost loved ones. Some families lost several men.

The inquiry that followed the disaster helped to improve the standard of safety in mines throughout the country.

Youngsters at Westhoughton High School are to investigate the disaster until December, 2005 using dance, drama, intensive research and state of the art technology.

Head of History Alison Paddon said: "The Pretoria Pit disaster is an event that many Westhoughton pupils are curious about. Whenever we teach them about it they are just wide eyed.

"I think many of them feel a connection to the disaster. When they have been to see the memorial in the church yard they noticed some of the men lived in the same street as them or were relatives."

Students from Year Eight upwards will interview families who lost men in the disaster to find out what impact the tragedy had in 1910 and what its legacy has been.

They will also be trawling through archives in Westhoughton Library researching as much as they can about what happened on that fateful day.

Mrs Paddon said the project will encompass a number of subjects across the curriculum, including dance and drama.

Students are to put on a drama portraying the rescue attempts that took place after the explosion and also the inquiry that was held after the horrific event.

The school is to approach the Houghton Weavers, who penned a song about the tragedy, with a view to discussing with them music to go with their performance.

The project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, will involve the youngsters creating a CD Rom which future generations will be able to access to discover their findings. Their intention is also to create a website and there are plans to host an exhibition.

Older pupils will be responsible for organising and running the project.